A Medieval Festival at Waltham Abbey to commemorate Harold, the last Saxon King of England.

The first event of our KH 950 celebrations at Waltham Abbey is on Wednesday 6th January when we shall mark King Harold’s coronation with a service of Compline in the Abbey Church at 5.00 pm.

Waltham, like the other monastic houses, would have kept the canonical hours, the eight divine offices each day, with the last one being Compline just before retiring to bed.

This daily pattern would be well known not just to the canons but to King Harold and his court, who would regularly have been at the church for Compline.

It is fitting then that we commemorate Harold’s coronation which took place at Edward the Confessor’s new West Minster Abbey by holding this service of Compline at Waltham Abbey, Harold’s own monastic foundation.

All are welcome at this service, especially those who are interested in King Harold II, in his great monastic foundation at Waltham, and in the story of the last Anglo Saxon King of England.